


Shattered Mirrors

by MsFaust



Series: Inky Tales [88]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-03-10 13:19:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13502348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsFaust/pseuds/MsFaust
Summary: A magical mirror refracts Bendy and pals, sending them across multiple worlds in which their lives take a drastic turn.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Blood and Ink](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/354066) by NexustheDark. 



In another world, Bendy ducked into Joey's office, followed by Boris and Alice.

"That was close!"

Boris slumped to the floor, nodding in agreement. "Joey sure took a lot of tries to get us right."

"And they hate us for it, just as much as they hate him," Alice added. "Especially the one who thinks she's my former voice actress."

"Now I'm starting to understand why nobody's ever coming back," Bendy muttered. "They must have figured out what kind of person the Liar really is."

"Are you sure nobody's coming back?" Boris asked. "What about that letter Joey just sent to...what's his name? Harry?"

Bendy was about to reply, but then he spotted something in the side room. Curious, he entered and found an ornately framed mirror.

"What's this doing here?"

"I'm guessing it's not an ordinary mirror," Alice remarked. "This room is where Joey keeps various talismans and similar objects."

"So, what do you think it--uh oh!"

The moment Bendy touched it, the mirror lit up with a ghostly green light, the Toons' reflections being replaced by a swirling vortex of light and color. A wave of said light and color washed out over them, causing a bizarre sensation in their minds and bodies. If they had to describe it, they'd say it was like they were rays of light going through a prism, being refracted into countless bodies.

After a moment, the light receded, leaving the three none the worse for wear. However, the various refractions were sent off across the multiverse, rocketing towards different worlds.

-A world where cosmic parasites orchestrated a constant war of superhumans.  
-A world where teenagers fought against monsters, not knowing they were involved in a plan to bring about the apocalypse.  
-A world where man coexisted with wondrous creatures of all shapes and sizes.  
-A world where a young man gained incredible speed and used it to fight crime and find others like him.

And others...


	2. Hell to Pay

"Y'know there's no going back once you do this, right?" Boris gave the teenage boy a look of concern. "You'll only be able to be Inky or a Toon, not a human."

Shinji gave a nod. "Ever since you guys took me in, I've only been truly human in body, and I'm ready to let go altogether."

He still remembered that day all those years ago when he, as a lost and afraid child, had been found by the three living cartoon characters. They'd stuck with him through thick and thin, and even helped him become one of their kind.

After returning to Tokyo-3, he'd introduced them to his fellow pilots and to a few others. With their aid, he'd uncovered the conspiracy, and had come up with a plan to turn the tables on SEELE. Though it turned out that Third Impact could not be prevented, it was possible to control where and how it occurred, along with the results.

Much to their surprise, Kaworu had eagerly jumped on board when he found out, allowing himself to be transformed into a Toon just as his fellow pilots and Grigori had been.

(Alice felt offended that NERV used the term 'Angel' to define the spawn of Adam, and Shinji didn't blame her.)

"We're all ready," Rei said. "The traitors to humanity shall be punished for their sins, and the people of Tokyo-3 shall be freed from their lies. And if we must forsake our old bodies, then so be it."

"Besides," added Asuka. "The only advantage our flesh and blood forms have is blending in with everyone else."

"And with Tokyo-3 about to get a makeover, that's not gonna be a problem anymore," said Bendy, skipping over to Rei. "You girls ready?"

"That depends," Rei responded. "Is the barrier set up?"

Alice nodded. "Tokyo-3 is the only place that will be affected by our version of Third Impact."

"For now, anyway," Bendy reminded her. "Maybe in the future..."

"The rest of the world can wait," Asuka said. "Now let's do this."

With that, she took Shinji and Toji's hands. The boys clasped hands with Rei and Kaworu, who did the same with each other. Beneath their feet, a pentagram drawn with ink began to glow brightly. Closing their eyes, they allowed themselves to briefly turn into human-shaped masses of ink, before reforming a moment later as their cartoon selves.

"Now," Shinji said, as they opened their eyes. "About SEELE and NERV..."

(BATIM)

"What is the meaning of this, Ikari?" demanded Lorenz.

"I don't know," Gendo admitted honestly. "This...this isn't what's supposed to happen!"

Beside him, Fuyutsuki's eyes darted about as he looked for a way to escape, to no avail. The black substance was rapidly flooding the room, and it was already halfway up to their knees. At the same time, several small forms entered the room and began to circle the trapped men. Gendo's aide noticed they resembled Sandalphon, Leliel, and Bardiel, albeit much smaller and simpler in appearance.

With mocking mirth in their oddly shaped eyes, the creatures began to sing.

"Flow the ink, we’re unstoppable now!  
We didn’t know best, but now we know how  
To bring to life this marvelous band with the slightest of hand.  
Now get up my children and stand..."

It was at that moment that Gendo felt an unfamiliar sensation. Looking down, he saw that the surface of the black liquid--the ink--was much closer than it would be from simply rising. To his horror, he realized he could no longer feel his legs. He and the other two were melting, dissolving into the ink!

Out of nowhere, anguished screams began to fill his ears. He quickly recognized the voices as belonging to the rest of SEELE, as well as a number of others loyal to the cause.

"No!" Lorenz screamed. "No! No! No!"

In the moments before Gendo felt his mind break down, he heard the creatures finish their song.

"Wreak havoc across Tokyo-3 and fill it with ink.  
Keep their eyes on the screen and don’t let them blink.  
Hide everywhere even in their homes or their sinks.  
Remember, dear creations, you’re special and unique!"

Then all he knew was blackness and screams.

(BATIM)

While SEELE was meeting their horrific punishment for their betrayal of humanity, something far different was happening to the staff of NERV.

Ritsuko smiled as she assumed her Toon form, shedding her human self forever. Striding toward Maya, she pulled the sole female technician into her arms.

"Senpai?" Maya asked, her voice trembling. "Wh-what's happening?"

"It's a long story," Ritsuko replied. "For now, let's just say it's a better alternative to what the commander had in mind."

A scream caught their attention. Glancing over toward the sound, she saw a band of Rei clones pulling Shigeru out from under his desk, dissolving into ink and washing over him. (Since Rei was no longer a fragile human, there was no need for replacement bodies, so they would instead be used for this alternate Third Impact.) Coughing violently, Shigeru was about to stand up when he saw that his hand had begun to swell. His eyes almost popped out of his head as he saw his pinkie vanish before his hand became enveloped in a large white glove. A quick glance revealed the same thing had happened to his other hand.

Nearby, Makoto sat up, rubbing his head. One of the Rei clones had briefly taken on Misato's form to get close, only to turn into ink upon being embraced, which caused Makoto to fall and briefly knock himself out. As he regained his senses, he was struck by how different he felt, including an unexplained increase in energy. He looked down at himself, taking in every aspect of his Toonified appearance. Unsure of whether what he was seeing was real, he grabbed ahold of his cheek and pulled on it, only to feel it stretch beyond a human's normal level of elasticity. It snapped back painlessly as soon as he let go.

"What the *alarm clock*? I thought we were *air raid siren* done with the Angels!"

Despite still being confused by what happening, Maya couldn't help but giggle upon hearing the sound effects coming out of her colleague's mouth. And boy, did it feel good to laugh.

(BATIM)

"Al, they're being gross! Make them stop!"

"Let them be, Bendy," Alice chided. "Kaji just came out of hiding, and Misato missed him."

"But they're being gross!"

Hearing the cartoon demon and angel arguing, Toji gave a chuckle. Like Kaji, he'd been forced to fake his death, so he understood how the older man felt.

"Toji?!?"

Glancing over, he saw the newly Toonified Hikari and Kensuke running over, their faces a mix of disbelief and joy.

"Hey." He got to his feet. "Didn't Shinji tell you what happened?"

"Well, he did," Kensuke answered. "But we didn't believe him. That guy from NERV said you got killed when that Angel--I mean Grigori--took over your EVA."

"And I woulda been, if Rei hadn't sent one of her clones to do this." He gestured to himself. "Sure, it took a little getting used to, but being a Toon is actually pretty cool, and we got all the time--"

"Oh, shut up and kiss me, you idiot!"

With that, Hikari grabbed him and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Toji was briefly caught off guard, before he plunged in.

"Aw, jeez, not you too! Yuck!"


	3. Kindred Spirits

It had been some time since the trio of Toons had found themselves in a different world, and Boris still wasn't quite used to it. Nor was he used to having a human form, mainly because it wasn't the same as a Toon's body. Sure, he could still use hammerspace, and he was more resilient than an ordinary human, but it was still jarring. On top of that, he was currently lost in a swampy forest, and separated from his friends, which meant he was not a happy camper.

At least he still had his Pokemon with him.

"Quill! Quilladin!"

"Wait for me, Rick!"

Alice had been quick to name her Braixen (then a Fennekin) after her original voice actress. Bendy and Boris had also named their first Pokemon after the men who originally voiced them in the cartoon--Matt the Froakie and Rick the Chespin, respectively. They'd continued the tradition with all their subsequent Pokemon, naming them after people who used to work in the studio.

Just as he caught up with Rick, Boris heard a rustling coming from nearby. Steeling his nerves, he crept towards the sound, only to gasp in horror. Lying by a nearby tree stump was the body of a young boy, no older than nine. The boy had been dead for some time, but the cause of death was clear--his chest had been clawed open, and his heart was missing.

"Just like those clones of me," Boris murmured softly. "But who did this?"

"Phan?"

Gesturing for Rick to follow him, Boris stepped away from the body. Part of him wondered if the boy's killer was near--there were rumors of a violent madman living in the forest, and that he had trained his Pokemon to hunt and kill any intruders. But as it turned out, the sound came from a small creature resembling a ghost with a tree stump for a head. Taking out his Pokedex, Boris pointed it at the creature.

 _Phantump, the Stump Pokemon,_ he read. _According to old tales, these Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died while lost in the forest._

Kneeling down in front of the little Ghost-type, Boris gave it a friendly smile.

"Hi there."

"Phantump." The Pokemon tilted its head in curiosity.

For a moment, Boris was unsure of what to say. Asking whether the dead boy and the Phantump were one and the same just seemed wrong. Fortunately, Rick came to the rescue.

"Din!"

Looking over, Boris noticed there was a video camera lying beside it.

"Phantump! Phan phan!"

Flying over, the Phantump picked up the camera.

"Oh, is that yours?"

"Tump!"

A memory drifted to the front of Boris's mind--he'd been looking for Alice down on Level 14 when he noticed a bizarre monster wandering around, which looked like a man with a projector for a head and a speaker in its chest. When he found her, she said it was based on Norman Polk, the old projectionist, just as the woman they referred to as 'Malice' was based on (and believed herself to be) Alice's voice actress.

"You're a boy, right?"

The Phantump nodded.

"What do you think of the name Norman?"

Cooing happily, the little Pokemon flew around Boris, who held out a Pokeball.

"All right, Norman. Let's see if we can go find my pals."


	4. Running With the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during Season 3

Swinging his legs back and forth, Bendy looked out over the streets of Central City and thought. It hadn't been long since he and his friends had found themselves in this strange world, but they'd already found a place in it, thanks a young man who turned out to be the son of this world's equivalent of Henry. The trio had provided help to Barry and the rest of Team Flash against their new foes, starting with Edward Clariss, who had gained his powers less than a week after the Toons arrived.

Exactly what had brought them to Earth-1928 was still a mystery, although Jay theorized that Barry's resetting the timeline from Flashpoint may have been a factor. None of the Toons were eager to go home, given that it meant returning to a studio full of homicidal ink clones, so they didn't push things. Besides, nobody besides Cisco wanted to discuss the whole magic thing.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Bendy looked up to see Alice standing there, a laptop in her hands. The angel had proven a natural with computers, courtesy of Caitlin's lessons, and had tracked down this world's counterparts of the people who used to work at Sillyvision. Fortunately, they were all alive and well, just like their equivalents back in the world the Toons once called home.

"Just thinking about everything that's happened."

As Alice sat down, Bendy leaned over to look at the screen. "Whatcha doing?"

"Looking up events similar to the particle accelerator," she replied. "There are a lot of metahumans who were nowhere near Central City when the explosion happened, and Cisco thinks some of the Sillyvision workers' counterparts might be among them."

"Might be tricky, since they don't live here," Bendy remarked. "And we got the whole thing with Savitar to worry about. Still, can't say I disagree with doin' a little homework in the meantime, right?"


	5. It's Me You Should Be Believing

Harry grinned as he huddled in the shadows. Soon, Umbridge would be be known as the shortest-lasting Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in history. Over the past few weeks, he and the others had rehearsed almost every day. And not just Gryffindors either--only a week into the year, every student taking part in this performance agreed she had to go. Much to their surprise, Filch had agreed not to try and stop them as long as no one was seriously hurt. Harry supposed that as a squib, the caretaker didn't take well to pureblood supremacists.

"She's coming," Neville hissed. "Get ready."

"Malfoy, don't forget your mask!"

As Malfoy accepted the aforementioned mask from Hermione with a nod of thanks. Harry found himself wondering what would have happened if things had been different.

What would have happened if he had never encountered the three living cartoons, newly arrived from another world? What would have happened if they hadn't gotten him away from the Dursleys when he was seven?

Would he still have gone to live with Henry--the man whose counterpart had been an animator in the Toons' native universe? Would he have made the same friends, or would they be his enemies? Would his life have been better or worse?

He shook himself. Now wasn't the time for that. It was showtime.

(BATIM)

As soon as Umbridge entered the room, the lights flickered off, only to come back on much dimmer than before. Malfoy stood before her, dressed in a black shirt, overalls, and a mask resembling Bendy's face, his arms covered by ink that had been courteously provided by the aforementioned demon.

Harry supposed he would never know why Malfoy had volunteered to play the Prophet. Perhaps his temporary transformation into a Toon back in their third year had lingering side effects like Hermione suspected. (A lot of people believed her theory--even Malfoy himself agreed.)

"AHAHAHAHA! The wonders of imagination!  
Welcome home, dear friend--how long we've all been waiting!  
Let's create a masterpiece. Breathe life into your dreams!  
All you gotta do...is start up the machine!"

A loud, thumping beat echoed throughout the room. Out of the ink puddles on the floor, the Searcher puppets designed by Bendy and the twins began to emerge. Fred and George had also made special whistle-like objects that let the others project their voices through the puppets.

"I'm the product of an artist  
Whose creations bring delight!  
Upon this somber threshold  
Imagination comes to life!  
Just free yourself from reason  
Soon you'll see in black and white!  
Call me a seed of evil,  
But what's that mean  
If I'm conceived within your mind?"

Umbridge stumbled back in terror. She turned to flee, but Ron appeared in the doorway, dressed in his Projectionist costume.

"Leaking from the ceiling,  
Ink is bleeding through the lines.  
Is that your heart that's beating,  
Or illusion you're alive?  
Collect what's necessary,  
Keep appeasing the divines.  
It's me you should be believing,  
Cuz he's deceiving you with lies!"

As Umbridge fled the room and ran down the hall, the puppets followed her. In addition, puppets of the corrupted Butcher Gang appeared, voiced by Fred, George, and Neville. (The actual Butcher Gang had yet to come into existence in this world, though Harry was planning to bring them to life eventually once Ron's arachnophobia was cured.)

"Holy Conniption! Has it been thirty years?  
It appears Mickey Mouse might've been murdered here!  
Lifeless pie-cut eyes I have learned to fear,  
Kinda reminds me why I quit workin' here...  
Why did I come, lemme go home, I should be leavin'.  
Whatever happened, don't wanna know,  
What are these demons?  
Guess If I gotta be stuck here,  
Then I might as well investigate.  
Secrets are unlocking,  
But too bad the exit ain't!"

Stepping out from behind a corner, Ginny gave a sad smile. It had taken a while to decide whether she or Hermione would play Malice in their little production, but Hermione had elected to help the Toons with the music and special effects. Most of them agreed that the only daughter of the Weasleys turned out to be a very good actress. As Malfoy and Ron approached from behind, she began to sing.

"Despite this mask of happiness,  
I drown in dark despair.  
The world may be your canvas,  
What you paint on it, beware!  
The pen is mightier than the sword,  
It has no limitation.  
Don't refrain, this ink will stain,  
And nothing can erase us now!"

"Can you describe the face you saw?"

"Could it be one you recognize?"

"We'd never harm the hand that draws..."

"Imagination cursed us all with life!"

They and the puppets began to circle around Umbridge, blocking any chance of escape.

"Shamed and defaced!  
Scathed and disgraced!  
Tainted by hatred,  
And can't be erased!  
Creators betrayed us,  
We've got it on tape!  
We've written your fate,  
And it can't be erased!"

Beneath their feet, a large black spot--the Toons had taken to calling it a warp hole--materialized. All four fell through through, landing in the center of a pentagram drawn in the middle of the Great Hall. Thanks to all the practice they had, Malfoy, Ron, and Ginny were able to land on all fours.

"I was not always a monster,  
Once I was somebody's muse.  
Innovation made us stronger,  
But that power was abused.  
The machine is thumping,  
And the ink is pumping.  
Now you need to run,  
Because the demon's coming!"

More pentagrams materialized, each spitting out a Searcher puppet. From above, the Butcher puppets dropped, continuing the song as they landed.

"I really need help, someone send a telegram!  
I'm surrounded by upside-down pentagrams.  
I don't have a guide, just a little bit of candlelight,  
With an axe that I don't know how to handle right.  
That little devil darlin's on a lot of reels,  
Long as he's on one, he cannot be real.  
Stop the projectors, Bendy's off his reel!  
Got a feeling he and Joey got a deal.  
An unholy bargain, a demonic seal,  
With a master plan, that I must reveal.  
Won't be long till this ink's all congealed,  
Upon my body, head to toe all concealed.  
But a little bit of bleach should do the trick,  
I'll never watch another damn cartoon! I quit!  
Look at you, you're scared of a moving pic!  
Hey Bendy, how'd you get that tutu to fit?"

They stepped aside to reveal another warp hole forming. At the same time, a web of ink trails formed on the walls and floor, the ceiling turned black as night, and a new voice joined in the song, a charm making it echo terrifyingly.

"I'm blinded by this evil growing.  
My heart is full of people-loathing.  
With secrets that I keep from showing,  
I am the wolf in sheepish clothing."

With as much drama as he could muster, Harry slowly rose out of the warp hole, dressed in a costume making him resemble the monster version of Bendy, complete with bowtie, gloves, and hair styled with gel.

"Flood the shop, with ink a-flowing!  
Push it to the brink of blowing!  
We hope you don't think of going!  
Weigh you down to keep from floating!  
Come with me, we'll bring you Joey!  
You'll be kept from being lonely!  
Kicking, screaming, sinking slowly!  
Give your soul, it's what you owe me!"

He stalked forward, holding his hands out like claws.

"Shamed and defaced!  
Scathed and disgraced!  
Tainted by hatred,  
And can't be erased!  
Creators betrayed us,  
We've got it on tape!  
We've written your fate,  
And it can't be erased!"

(BATIM)

Less than a week later, the Daily Prophet announced Fudge was being forced out of office. As it turned out, it was illegal for a Ministry employee to hold a teaching position at Hogwarts. That and the fact that Fudge was attempting to cover up Voldemort's return spelled the end of his tenure as Minister of Magic.

"Hope we get someone less corrupt this time," Hermione commented.

"At least Potions won't be so bad anymore," said Ron. "Snape's taking over now that Umbridge is gone."

"Even if he's not as bad as he was in our first year, I'd take him over that woman any day," Harry agreed.

Yes, things were definitely starting to look up.


End file.
